Spindle drives are being increasingly used in the course of motoric actuation of tailgates or the like. The known spindle drive (DE 10 2008 062 400 A1), from which the invention proceeds, is equipped with a drive unit and a spindle-spindle nut transmission arranged downstream of the drive unit in terms of drive for generating linear drive movements. The drive unit has a tubular, one-piece drive unit housing which accommodates a drive motor and an intermediate transmission arranged downstream of the drive motor in terms of drive.
The spindle drive housing of the known spindle drive is constructed in a telescope-like manner with a tubular inner housing and a tubular outer housing, wherein the tubular inner housing is provided by the tubular drive unit housing. This dual use of the drive unit housing does indeed lead to a compact structure, but brings with it structural restrictions. Such a structural restriction lies, for example, in the fact that the drive housing must be configured fundamentally in terms of the absorption of drive forces, while the spindle drive housing can be located at least partially outside the flow of force of the drive force. A configuration which is tailored to the respective loading situation is possible with the known spindle drive only with a relatively high degree of constructive outlay.